TheMarketForIdeas

For me, the autumn of 2024 marked that period of life that you would wish to repeat endlessly, as it gave me the opportunity to fulfill one of the dreams tucked away in that little box of wishes, stored carefully in a corner of my mind to keep it safe from wear and tear over time. Depending on each person’s personality, this box can contain various forms of dreams. A well-known one, often heard, is the wish to see the Seven Wonders of the World at least once in a lifetime.

This type of desire applies to me as well, but with a different twist, as for me, experiencing and living the “American Dream” from the perspective of the city of lights and extravagance ranked as my eighth wonder. Thus, my adventure in the state of Nevada, specifically in Las Vegas, began – a region that has seen the fastest development in the history of the United States. This reputation is well-deserved, given its transformation from an arid desert area to the splendor the city takes on at night, earning it the nickname “The City of Lights”.

However, at the end of the day, the question inevitably arises: “What lies behind these dazzling light shows?”. For me, curiosity weighed on two fronts. The first pertained to the historical roots of the state, which laid the foundation for the consolidation of Las Vegas – because, as a wise scholar once said, “Study the historian before you begin to study the facts” (Green, 2015). The second was focused on the significance of Nevada’s status beyond Las Vegas.

From conquistadores to conquerors

The earliest historical records date back to the 16th century, with the arrival of the first Europeans of Spanish origin in Mexican territory, aiming to conquer new lands for Spain. By 1535, Mexico had already become an integral part of Spain, along with the Nevada region. These were the first beginnings of the area as a component of the Spanish Empire, which also explains the origin of its name. The term “Nevada” has Spanish roots, derived from the expression Sierra Nevada, meaning “snow-covered mountain range” (Behnke, 2016). Thus, the Spanish colonies laid the foundational stones of the state, as they were the ones who associated the term “Nevada” (snow-covered) with the climatic conditions of the region during winter. Later, in 1821, the region became part of Mexico. However, the changes did not stop there, as Nevada was acquired by the United States in 1848, following the Mexican American War. This conflict began on May 13, 1846, after the United States had already annexed Texas a year earlier, paving the way for disputes with Mexico. The issue revolved around the existing border between the U.S. and Mexico, as the latter considered the Nueces River to be the northern boundary of its territory, while the United States claimed the Rio Grande as the official border, which included the Nueces Strip as part of Texan territory (Zeidan, 2024). Additionally, there were disputes regarding the recognition of Texas as American territory, with the United States affirming this claim, while Mexico was entirely opposed.

Once the war was triggered by these disputes, U.S. President James Knox Polk identified the destabilized area and used it as a catalyst for conflict. It can be argued that Polk deliberately provoked the war, motivated by a desire for territorial expansion, as he sent American troops into the contested territory, provoking opposition from Mexico (U.S. Department of Interior – National Park Service, 2022). These offensive actions, which culminated in the death or injury of 16 American soldiers, were used by President Polk as a pretext to declare war. In his address to Congress in Washington, D.C., Polk stated that Mexico “has invaded our territory and shed American blood on American soil” (Zeidan, 2024).

Polk’s actions divided the nation into two camps: supporters of his actions and critics who questioned the moral basis of his strategy. One prominent opponent was Abraham Lincoln, then a congressman, who challenged the moral justification for the conflict and demanded evidence of the United States’ rightful claim to the territory where the war had started. But ultimately, the majority rallied to fight for the American cause. The U.S. Army strengthened its position and managed to occupy Mexico City, the Mexican capital, within the first 16 months of the conflict. However, the expansion did not stop there. The war led to the acquisition of vast territories, nine in total, including California, Nevada, Utah, New Mexico, most of Arizona and Colorado, and parts of Oklahoma, Kansas, and Wyoming (U.S. Department of Interior – National Park Service, 2022).

A treaty in absentia?

The end of the war was marked by the U.S. victory on February 2, 1848, when the Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo was signed. However, peace could not officially be recognized immediately after Mexico’s defeat and the U.S. occupation of its capital in September 1847, as no functioning Mexican government existed until February 1848. There was no executive authority to formalize the peace agreement (Bauer, 1974). The absence of a functioning government is closely tied to the treaty’s name, as the document was named after the town of Guadalupe Hidalgo, which served as a refuge for the Mexican government during the American attacks.

The Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo, as specified in Article I, aimed to establish firm and universal peace "between the United States of America and the Mexican Republic, and between their respective countries, territories, cities, towns, and people, without exception of places or persons." To achieve this goal of peace, significant concessions were required from Mexico. As a result, the Mexican government ceded more than half of its territory – 55% - to the U.S. federal government. This included the nine key regions mentioned above, including Nevada, and the relinquishment of claims to Texas and the Nueces Strip. This also signified Mexico’s recognition of the Rio Grande as the southern border with the United States. The U.S. gains translated into 525,000 square miles (approximately 1,300,000 square kilometers) of Mexican territory, stretching west from the Rio Grande to the Pacific Ocean. In return, the U.S. government paid Mexico $15 million (General Records of the United States Government, 1848).

Welcome to the Union!

Thus, the acquisition of Nevada by the United States represented only the first step toward what the region would become in the future. A series of other significant events followed, forming key pieces of the final puzzle that is today’s Nevada. Among these were the discovery of gold in California in 1848, the creation of the Utah Territory two years later, and, notably, the discovery of silver deposits in 1859. These developments progressively led to an increase in the region’s population and economic growth. The culmination of this sequence of historical events was marked initially by Nevada’s recognition as a U.S. territory in 1861, followed three years later by its admittance as a state. This was despite having just 40,000 residents, far below the usual 60,000 required from new states by Congress. It was thought, however, that the state would help Abraham Lincoln and the Republicans win the post-Civil War elections. The connections were so bad, that previous attempts to send the constitution via overland mail and by sea had failed by October 24, so on October 26 the full text was sent by telegraph at a cost of $4,303.27 – the most costly telegraph on file at the time for a single dispatch, equivalent to $83,831.36 in 2023. Finally, the response from Washington came on October 31, 1864 addressed to Governor Nye: “the pain is over, the child is born, Nevada this day was admitted into the Union”.

However, the success at the end of this adventure of the state “born in battle” can also be viewed from another perspective, as part of a divine plan that began with the territory’s inclusion under the protection of the United States. Supported by the belief that the U.S. was destined to expand into a continental empire under the guidance of superhuman powers and faith in the concept of Manifest Destiny, Nevada stands as a clear example of this success simply because it became an integral part of the American union.

But did Nevada manage to maintain its trajectory toward genuine success after coming under the protection of American hegemony? The answer to this question is complex and often controversial. Given the harsh desert environment that constitutes most of the state’s territory, Nevada only began to experience a significant boom that shaped its history and culture following the discovery of silver at the Comstock Lode in 1859. This discovery spurred rapid advancement in the region and substantial wealth generation. However, it did not translate into long-term economic stability. While the economy experienced periods of growth marked by repeated cycles of boom and bust driven by fluctuations in the mining industry, a turning point came in 1910 with an economic crisis. This period led to a population decline, and by the following decade, Nevada had earned the moniker of a “beautiful desert of buried hopes”. Despite these setbacks, hope was not entirely lost. At the beginning of the 1930s, Nevada found its footing in an industry that would bring it global recognition – gambling. By that time, Nevada only had 90 thousand residents. This sector, along with others such as tourism and transportation, played a pivotal role in stabilizing and growing Nevada’s economy. Even in critical times, such as the global financial crisis of 2008, these industries helped maintain Nevada’s upward economic trend (State of Nevada, 2021). Rapid population growth eventually led to Nevada’s 3.2 million residents today.

Las Vegas and Nevada’s neon empire

If you’ve made it this far, I’m confident you’ve already anticipated the next subject of discussion. What else could come to mind when speaking of the grandeur of gambling? Undoubtedly, Las Vegas. As mentioned at the outset of this analysis, I too was captivated by the allure of discovering this region of Nevada – a place surrounded by stories and visuals elevated to the level of extravagance. This fascination was the driving force behind my decision to visit Las Vegas in the autumn of 2024.

I can confidently say that the city’s reputation as an “architectural icon of the contemporary world and a symbol of postmodernism” is well-deserved, especially when considered alongside its history after 1945, a period during which it became the fastest-growing city in the fastest-growing state in the U.S.

In Las Vegas, everything is taken to the extreme – from the vibrant nightclubs that come alive after midnight, to the bustling streets filled with people radiating joy, and the mesmerizing light and fountain shows in front of the Bellagio Hotel. These elements have captivated tourists over the years, transforming Las Vegas into the iconic “American city” it is today, with a globally recognized and emblematic aura (Douglass & Raento, 2004). The city of Las Vegas has 600 thousand residents, and over 2.2 million in its metro area, with a yearly GDP of 160 billion dollars, almost half of Romania despite having almost 9 times fewer residents.

The beauty and the bet

After understanding Nevada’s trajectory, including the unprecedented rise of Las Vegas, the question is inevitable: “What does Nevada truly mean without Las Vegas?”. I posed this very question to myself after my visit to Las Vegas but didn’t manage to explore other attractions before leaving the state. However, I’ve resolved that on a future visit, Las Vegas will be excluded from my itinerary, leaving room for the state’s other treasures that deserve to be discovered.

While Las Vegas undoubtedly remains the focal point for tourists due to its global fame, what other values and wonders does this “battle-born” state hold beyond its iconic city?

Nevada is predominantly an arid region, characterized by mountains, valleys, and impressive desert expanses, most notably the Great Basin – a network of hydrological basins – and the Sierra Nevada Mountain range, which inspired the state’s name. The state also boasts landmarks like the Hoover Dam, recognized as the largest public works project in U.S. history, and Lake Mead, the country’s largest reservoir (State of Nevada, 2021). Another standout attraction is Lake Tahoe, a major tourist draw for Nevada. Its appeal lies not only in its size and depth but also in its picturesque beauty. Moreover, Lake Tahoe is the second deepest alpine lake in North America, formed approximately two million years ago during the glacial epoch (Elliott-Fisk, et al., 1996).

Besides glitz and glamour

Nevada, therefore, offers much more than the glitz and glamor of Las Vegas, presenting a rich tapestry of natural beauty, engineering marvels, and historical significance waiting to be explored. Nevada’s success is not solely dependent on Las Vegas; other cities within the state also serve as essential players on its chessboard of progress. Foremost among them is Carson City, the state capital, founded by Abraham Curry after discovering a large stone quarry used to build the city’s infrastructure. The area gained additional significance due to its strategic position, serving as a bridge between the Comstock mines and Lake Tahoe (Moreno, 2011). Speaking of the Comstock Lode, known as the richest silver deposit in American history, it is essential to highlight Virginia City, the town that hosts these resources.

Thus, the state benefits from industrial and economic contributions from regions beyond Las Vegas. Mining plays a significant role, with Nevada being one of the largest gold and silver producers in the United States. And from a tourism perspective, there are value-generating regions, such as those mentioned previously, but also events with recreational purposes, a famous one being the Burning Man festival held annually in the Black Rock Desert. This volunteer-driven festival creates a temporary metropolis dedicated to community, art, self-expression, and self-reliance, culminating in the symbolic burning of a massive wooden human-shaped structure. Burning Man attracts thousands of participants each year, generating substantial revenue for the state through ticket sales. Due to its immense popularity, preparations for the 2025 edition are already underway, with the theme “Tomorrow Today” recently announced (Burning Man Project, 2024).

Therefore, Nevada, without Las Vegas, remains a historic state, and naturally spectacular, with an economy mainly supported by mining and tourism. Although Las Vegas is the center of attention due to its worldwide fame, the rest of Nevada offers stunning landscapes, historic cities, and a unique culture of the American West. Nevada differs greatly from other US states because over 80% of its land ids owned by the state. It has played host to nuclear tests and is today the site of important test and weapons ranges (including the infamous Area 51 airbase), because of the concentration of its population in Clark County and because the predominant desert environment made homesteading and farming unviable as means of better distributed settlement, unlike the US East of the Rockies or the on the West Coast.

Conclusions

Following this comprehensive analysis of Nevada, I believe that this territory is the representative example of the merging of two contrasting reputations: on one hand, that of a sophisticated society, and on the other, that of a mining frontier. All of this is rooted in a rich history, marked by significant transitions and numerous challenges, which, in the end, have led to the shaping of a vast and diverse state, a unique combination of tradition, innovation, and economic resilience, demonstrating that natural resources, culture, and strategic vision can shape the destiny of a state.

Photo source: PxHere.com.

References

Bauer, J.K. (1974) Mexican War. New York: Texas State Historical Association.

Behnke, A. (2016) A timeline history of the Mexican-American War. Minneapolis: Lerner.

Burning Man Project (2024) ‘Black Rock City 2025’. Available at: https://burningman.org/event/.

Douglass, W.A. and Raento, P. (2004) ‘The tradition of invention: Conceiving Las Vegas’, ScienceDirect.

Elliott-Fisk, D.L., Cahill, T.C., Davis, O.K., Duan, L., Gruell, G.E., Harris, R. and Stephens, S.L. (1996) Lake Tahoe case study. California.

General Records of the United States Government (1848) Treaty of Guadalupe Hidalgo (1848). Washington, DC: National Archives.

Green, M.S. (2015) Nevada: A history of the Silver State. Reno: University of Nevada Press.

Moreno, R. (2011) A short history of Carson City. Reno: University of Nevada Press.

State of Nevada (2021) History of Nevada. Available at: The Official State of Nevada Website.

U.S. Department of the Interior – National Park Service (2022) The Mexican-American War.

Zeidan, A. (2024) ‘Invasion and war in Mexican-American War’. Britannica.